Letter: Fund substance programs

Ron AllenSt. AugustineNeptune Beach

Published Sunday, February 24, 2002

Editor:

With the recent press reports of Gov. Bush's daughter being arrested for passing a fraudulent prescription, the current state of affairs regarding funding for substance abuse treatment once again surfaces. In light of the tragic events of Sept. 11, and the resultant economic slump in Florida, the Legislature essentially slashed all but the barest minimum of substance abuse programming from the Department of Corrections' budget. It is a very sad reality that for many to get into treatment there must be some type of precipitating or tragic event, such as an arrest or incarceration (not unlike what has happened to the governor's daughter). Because of the very nature of substance abuse, addiction, alcoholism, chemical dependency ... or by whatever name you choose to refer this problem ... denial is followed by a cascade of overwhelming dysfunctional events culminating in the afflicted individual losing control or manageability over their very lives. The simple fact is that the governor's daughter will likely be spared the stigma of prison, especially since there exists virtually no chance for drug treatment now in prison. Instead, the governor's daughter will likely be placed into some sort of pretrial diversion and placed in a drug rehab facility all paid by insurance of family funds.

Now for the rest of Florida's afflicted ... those who don't have insurance, effective defense attorneys, or status afforded then by familial affiliation to a political figure ... what hope is there for these unfortunate types? Without prison based substance abuse treatment, the revolving door that was once so prevalent in Florida and other states is doomed to repeat itself. With the average drug offender believed to responsible for 3-4 felony property crimes a day on average to support a habit, the toll on the citizens of Florida will eventually become unbearable. We can't afford to build our way out of this problem either.

The tax base would soon collapse under the strain of supporting new prison expansions and the decreasing numbers of viable and productive citizens to pay for these programs.

The answer is so simple it defies any justification or reason to refuse to consider it ... we need to go about the business of providing real corrections within the Florida Department of Corrections. We need effective rehabilitative substance abuse and recidivism reduction programming and we need it now. The Legislature is currently in session. Prisoners can't vote (one of the disabilities afforded them as a result of being convicted of a felony in Florida) but others can and should vote.

Sure, it is not an especially politically correct topic to talk about spending tax dollars on convicted felons, but likewise, it is equally unwise to remove rehabilitative programming from prisons and expect anything other than a spiraling crime rate and gross recidivism in return. We have only to think back a few years to the days of car jackings of foreign visitors to Florida and the real problem of a slumping tourist industry to understand that we are dangerously close to making a bad situation much worse. Let's not be penny wise and pound foolish. We are a great society, one which cares for the afflicted and the downtrodden. We all benefit from the consciences and prudent correctional policies of the recent past. Let's not stand and allow the Legislature to remove help and hope from the lives of those who are the most in need and who possess the least political efficacy to access the services and programs which could transform them into drug free, pro-social and productive taxpaying citizens once again.

I urge each and every concerned citizen to contact their legislative senators and representatives and the governor to implore them to make the only wise and prudent decision available to them regarding substance abuse programming in prison and that is to fund effective substance abuse programs in prison and in community-based programs so that not only the privileged will get the help they so desperately need, and in a humane society, deserve.